I’m quickly becoming known as that North Carolina girl on Twitter. One of the reasons for that is my barbecue posts.

I tell it from a North Carolinian perspective. Barbecue is a noun. That noun means pork. It may not sit well with folks from other places, but it is a fact of life in the Old North State.

There are variations across the state. In WNC, Lexington-style is supreme. It’s served with a red sauce that is vinegar and tomato based. It’s delicious, but it ain’t my favorite.

My favorite? Eastern-style.

Eastern-style barbecue is whole hog; everything is used but the oink. The vinegar-pepper sauce can be mop-sauced during cooking or used after for seasoning. Either way, it’s slap your mama good.

Eastern North Carolina is loaded with famous BBQ joints. The places are rarely sparkly and new. Like fine wine, they’ve gotten better with time.

There’s the Skylight Inn in Ayden and Grady’s in Dudley. B’s in Greenville and Jackson’s in Wilmington. In Fayetteville, we have The Barbecue Hut.

To me, The Barbecue Hut is vastly underrated. They are often overlooked on lists of the best Eastern-style barbecue joints. I’m not sure why.

They’ve been in business since 1965 and have collected so many of the Fayetteville Observer’s Reader Choice awards for BBQ that it should be named in their honor.

The Barbecue Hut has a simple menu. They serve BBQ, pork chops, fried chicken, and a handful of sides. That is all they need to make because all of it is delicious.

Their BBQ is better than what is made at some of the more recognizable restaurants. Sorry, McCall’s! And I’m not kidding when I say they make the best fried chicken in town.

I’ll never understand why this gem doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. But that’s okay. Y’all keep sleeping on it.

That just means a shorter line and faster service for me. 😉